Food Policy in Schools A Strategic Policy Framework for Governing Bodies Revised September 2007
Foreward | 1
Foreword
Governing bodies have a key role to play in school food. In some cases the school governing body is legally responsible for ensuring that the school food standards are met. In all schools governing bodies have a duty to ensure that a healthy eating culture is fostered throughout their school and forms part of its ethos.
Since the first edition of ‘Food Policy in Schools’ was published in June 2005 there has been a transformation in the food offered to children in schools. This process is ongoing; the new standards that have been introduced will need to be implemented in schools over the next few years. This second edition has been revised to take account of the new school food standards and the creation of the School Food Trust. It also highlights useful resources which we hope governors will find helpful.
The document has been revised with the assistance of the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) (formerly the Department for Education and Skills), the Healthy Schools Team at the Department of Health and the School Food Trust (SFT).
We hope that you find this new revised edition helpful. 2 | Food Policy in Schools
Contents
Introduction Page Why should governors get involved in school food? 3 What is a whole school approach? 3 The most effective way 4 Healthy Schools 4 Every Child Matters 4 What this guide provides 5
Governors’ Strategic Policy Framework 6 Step 1 – Governing Body Self-Review 6 Step 2 – Governing Body Committee Structure Review 6 Step 3 – General Policies Review 8 Step 4 – Collecting Baseline Information 8 Step 5 – Policy Development 9 Step 6 – Establish an Action Plan 10 Step 7 – Consultation 10 Step 8 – Implementation 11 Step 9 – Monitor and Review 11 Step 10 – Celebrate Your Success 11
Policy Development for Individual Areas 12 School Councils 12 School Lunches 13 Packed Lunches brought from Home 20 Breakfast Clubs 22 After School Clubs 24 Dining Environment 26 Breaktime Snacks and Drinks 28 Tuckshops 29 Vending 30 Water 34 Food Allergy 35 Curriculum 36
Who Does What on School Food 39
Guidance and Resources 41
Annex 1 – Surveys on Health and Healthy Eating 44
Annex 2 – What is a Healthy Balanced Diet 48
Annex 3 – Suggestions for Healthier Packed Lunches 52
Bibliography 55 Introduction | 3
Introduction
Why should Governors get involved in school food?
Your governing body may already influence policies and practice in your school that play a large role in the children’s nutrition, and in turn affect their performance and development at school, and their health now and in the future. But do you really understand the issues involved, the changing legal requirements and how to implement these changes? This publication aims to help you to make positive and informed decisions about how best to introduce or further encourage your school to adopt a whole school approach to food and nutrition and to take into account the needs of children with special dietary requirements, like those who are diabetic or who have a food allergy.
What children eat at school is important. Over the last two years there has been a transformation in thinking about what food should be available in schools. When the first edition of this document was published food standards existed for school lunches but there were no regulations relating to other food provision in schools i.e. food sold in tuck-shops and vending machines. The 2001 standards stopped short of tackling confectionery and savoury snacks and did not regulate for the actual nutrient content of school lunches.
A great deal has changed since the first edition of ‘Food in Schools’ was published. The Government has moved from the position of leaving individual schools to decide what food to make available to strengthening the legislation about the type of food and the frequency with which it can be provided.
From September 2006 new food standards for school lunches were introduced. These will be followed in 2008 (primary) and 2009 (secondary and special) by tougher standards. In addition, the Education and Inspections Act 2006 provides the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with the power to make Regulations on non-lunch food, such as vending machines, breakfast clubs, tuck shops, mid-morning break and after school clubs. From September 2006 schools were banned from providing confectionery, sugary drinks and savoury snacks with added sugars, fat or salt at school lunchtimes. Schools were also encouraged to remove these items from vending machines and tuckshops. What is a whole school approach?
Successful approaches are those in which messages about food and nutrition taught in the curriculum are echoed and reinforced by the type of food and drink provided in school through catering, tuck shops or vending machines. These approaches are planned and systematic, involve teachers, caterers, parents and pupils, and encompass the overall ethos and environment of the school. This is the basis of the Department for Children, Schools and Families/Department of Health ‘Healthy Schools Programme’ and ‘Healthy Living Blueprint for Schools’, in England, described on page 41. However, there are also areas of relevance for governors in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has always recognised the importance of taking a whole school approach to diet and nutrition and has adopted this approach through much of its activity for schools.
Where funding for school meals has been delegated to the school, the governing body has a legal responsibility to ensure that the minimum school food standards are met. To really instil the ethos of healthier eating it is vital that it is seen as something the school wants to do, rather than something that 4 | Food Policy in Schools
is being done to it. The governing body has an essential role in promoting health and well-being issues as a core ethos of the school. It is important that school food is central to its thinking and not seen as a peripheral issue. The most effective way
Ofsted has noted that a whole school approach to food policy is likely to be more effective if it is embedded into development planning, rather than being seen as a separate issue. Ofsted’s report ‘Healthy Eating in Schools’ (March 2006) revealed that, although schools understood the importance of coherent messages between the food provided in school and what is taught within the curriculum, few had developed a whole school food policy. Governing bodies are in a key position to take an overview, involve the whole school, set priorities and monitor developments. While it is true that in some schools a single ‘champion’, be it a teacher, governor, school nurse or parent, has provided the impetus and made great strides to implement aspects of a food policy, such an approach is always at risk as it may not be sustained if the ‘champion’ moves on. This is why it is important for the governing body to take strategic ownership and embed school food policy in the aims and objectives for the school and in its development plan.
A whole school approach, involving a planned curriculum and all aspects of food provision, should be part of a strategic plan driven by the governing body. Healthy Schools
The National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) is a major support structure for implementing four key areas of health • Healthy eating (and drinking) • Comprehensive Personal, Social and Health Education (including drugs education and sex and relationships education) • Physical activity • Emotional health and well-being (including bullying)
In order to achieve Healthy School status schools will have to demonstrate that their food provision complies with the new standards. The NHSP (page 39) uses the whole school approach to successfully develop and implement healthy eating activities in schools – both in and outside the curriculum. The government issued the ‘Food in Schools Toolkit’ in 2005 to help schools deliver a whole school approach to healthy eating. In September 2007 NHSP produced materials which provide guidance on healthy eating and on the other three themes. There is also a website that provides additional material and case studies for schools to use to achieve the Healthy School status: www.foodinschools.org
Whilst the NHSP is a voluntary scheme, it is intended that all schools will be working on the Programme by 2009. The majority of schools (more than 80%) have already joined the Programme and a lot of work is underway to bring them up to the Healthy School status. It is the Government’s aim that all schools should be healthy schools or working towards Healthy School status by 2009. ‘Every Child Matters’
The Government’s drive to improve services for children and young people is set out in its ‘Every Child Matters’ policies – and summarised in the five outcomes that all children should be able to expect. Introduction | 5
THE FIVE OUTCOMES FROM ‘EVERY CHILD MATTERS’ • Being healthy: enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle • Staying safe: being protected from harm and neglect • Enjoying and achieving: getting the most out of life and developing the skills for adulthood • Making a positive contribution: being involved with the community and society and not engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour • Economic well-being: not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving their full potential in life.
One of the five outcomes is ‘being healthy’. Under the Ofsted inspection regime schools are inspected against the five outcomes, this will include a school’s approach to healthy eating. In the school’s self- evaluation form (SEF), the school will need to demonstrate what steps it is taking towards meeting the five outcomes. The introduction of a whole school food policy is a key element in this process.
In addition, the school’s SEF will have to demonstrate how the school engages with pupils and parents. Such engagement with pupils and parents would be a key element in developing a whole school food policy. What this guide provides
The main focus of this document is to guide governing bodies through the steps necessary to adopt a strategic approach to food policy in schools; to provide case studies to illustrate and share good practice and lessons learnt from schools that have successfully implemented a whole school food policy. This document also lists useful sources of information and resources.
Annexes 1 and 2 (page 44 and 48) provide background about concerns surrounding children’s eating habits, what we know about food and nutrition in school; and describe the main features of a healthy balanced diet for every child over 5.
The guide need not be read as a whole, but can be used flexibly to address specific areas as needed. 6 | Food Policy in Schools
Governors’ Strategic Policy Framework
A whole school food policy will help to ensure that the entire school community and the wider public understand the ethos of the school in relation to food and drink, both within the curriculum and in food and drink provision. It aids planning, and by engaging the whole school community of pupils, teachers, parents and caterers as well as governors, it helps drive healthier eating throughout the school and promote health and well-being.
The following pages provide a step-by-step guide to help governing bodies adopt a strategic approach to food policy in schools. Step 1 Governing Body Self Review Food Policy Checklist Before starting to develop a whole school food policy, you first need to assess existing provision and practice and review your own work in this area as a governing body. Please use this checklist right to review your current practice and to identify issues for policy development in your school.
Governors may also find the sample guide to a food in schools audit included in the ‘Food in Schools Toolkit’ helpful.
The governing body will need to be aware that the new school food standards only apply to food provided by the school and not to food brought from home. The governing body will need to set a clear school policy if it wishes to restrict food items brought from home. Step 2 Governing Body Committee Structure Review
You may want to consider, as a governing body, how best to develop your whole school food policy. It is more effective and manageable to delegate aspects of the work to committees, including existing committees such as finance and curriculum. Where governor numbers permit, a food policy committee could be set up. In establishing a new committee, co-opting other relevant members of the school community, who may not be governors could be really beneficial to embedding a whole school approach. These could usefully include the catering manager, school bursar, other members of the school catering workforce ‘dinner ladies’, representatives of the School Council, specifically including young people, representatives of the PTA and/or a parent and others with a specific contribution to make.
Overall strategic decisions about food policy will clearly be made by the full governing body. All governors will need to have a shared understanding of the way forward. Governors’ Strategic Policy Framework | 7
Questions to Consider Yes/No Has your governing body discussed food policy? Has your governing body agreed a whole school approach to food issues? Has your governing body appointed a named governor or committee to address food policy issues? Does your school have a delegated budget for school meals? If so, is your governing body aware of its responsibilities for ensuring the school food standards (see page 13) are met? Does your school have mechanisms such as a School Council or a School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG) to involve pupils in food policy discussions? Is your governing body aware of the new food standards legislation and have you discussed how it will affect the following food provision? • Breakfast clubs • Breaktime snacks brought from outside the school • Tuckshops • School lunches (including the dining environment and lunch service) • Packed lunches brought from home • Vending • Water • Food and drink for after schools clubs Has your governing body considered whether the school’s dining facilities are adequate? Has your governing body considered the following aspects of the school’s lunchtime management arrangements? • lunchtime supervision • queuing arrangements • time allocated for lunch Has your governing body considered its relationship with Food Suppliers/Catering Providers to the school? Is the governing body aware of what is taught regarding healthy eating within the curriculum? Is what is taught ‘joined up’ and consistent across subjects? Is your school working towards Healthy School status through the National Healthy School Programme (NHSP)? Has the governing body discussed the role that it plays in delivering good food standards. Has your governing body discussed food allergens, both the care of individuals, should they be taken ill, and their exposure to allergens whilst on school premises? Does your school publish its lunch menus on its website/school report/make it available in other ways for parents? 8 | Food Policy in Schools
Step 3 General Policies Review
Several existing school policies may already refer to various aspects of food policy. It may be helpful to review these existing policies to ensure that new policy developments complement and build on these as well as addressing the five outcomes of ‘Every Child Matters’.
A review of the curriculum policy is recommended to ensure that food and nutrition education is available to pupils of all ages, is consistent across different subjects and is in line with the development of a whole school food policy.
If your school is working towards healthy school status through the National Healthy School Programme you should review the food and nutrition elements of the programme to ensure your whole school food policy is consistent with its healthy eating component.
There will be other existing school policies that might not explicitly relate to food policy, but may still be relevant. For example, does your anti-bullying policy support the school in addressing any bullying related to weight or to food choices? Step 4 Collecting Baseline Information
Pupils’, Parents’ and Staff Survey
In deciding what to provide you first need to know what is allowed under the new standards, what is currently available and what pupils, parents and staff would like to be available. A committee should be delegated to take on this task. Where numbers on the governing body allow, this will be the food policy committee, alternatively it could be the finance or another existing governing body committee. It will almost certainly be necessary to co-opt additional members from outside the governing body. The catering manager and the School Council would be a good starting point, particularly to ascertain what is currently available. A wider survey of pupils, parents and staff can then be conducted.
The survey information will be used by the governing body to set its priorities for food provision and healthy eating in the school. It is essential that the survey collects the right information to enable the governing body to plan for the future and set appropriate priorities.
In carrying out the survey you will need to make clear why you want the information and how important it is to take account of the views of pupils, parents and staff in developing policy. Media stories highlight that parents do sometimes have reservations about what ‘healthier’ options might entail and it makes sense to ensure that they understand and support your new ideas for school food provision. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 gives governing bodies a statutory duty to have regard to the views of parents and this is a key issue on which governors can ensure that they do consult.
Your survey may seek the following information: • Where pupils and staff currently obtain their lunch and other food they consume during the school day: • school lunch • school vending machines • off the premises • brought from home. Governors’ Strategic Policy Framework | 9
• What pupils and staff currently eat for lunch (both on and off the premises). • What choices pupils, parents and staff would like to see provided in: • school lunches • vending machines • tuck shops. • What pupils, parents and staff think about the quality of the food provided at the school. • Whether any of the following influence their decision to eat a school lunch: • dining facilities • time allocated for lunch • queuing mechanisms • arrangements for lunchtime supervision.
There are many ways of obtaining the information, including: • A formal questionnaire • Suggestion box • Noticeboard • Discussion within the School Council • Focus Groups with parents, pupils and staff. Catering Provision Survey • Does the food provision meet the current food regulations for school food? • Identify where the catering does not meet the standards. See page 14 for information on the website pages developed to assist schools to verify if the current food provision at lunchtime meets the food standards. • Ask a committee to collect the following data related to school food, vending machines and the tuckshop. • What income is generated? • What range and volume of items are sold? • What is the take-up of school lunches? • Who manages the vending machines? • Who manages the tuck shop?
The catering manager and school bursar may be key personnel and may be co-opted to this committee. The committee should be asked to report its findings to the full governing body. Step 5 Policy Development
A whole school food policy will need to address aspects of food provision across the whole school day as well as education about food and nutrition. The governing body needs to consider developing a policy covering each of the 12 aspects listed below. Pulling all these policies together will generate your overarching school food policy. • School lunches • Packed lunches brought in from home • Breakfast Clubs • After School Clubs • Dining environment • Breaktime snacks and drinks • Tuck shops • Vending machines 10 | Food Policy in Schools
• Water • Food allergens • School Councils or School Nutrition Action Groups (SNAGs) • Curriculum
For each of these areas, pages 12-38 provide background information, suggested aims, issues to consider, and sources of information, guidance and resources. Step 6 Establish an Action Plan
Having considered all aspects of food policy you need to determine your action plan, setting out your priorities for implementation. Although legislation may dictate the date by which certain changes have to be implemented, the governing body will still need to develop an action plan and build it into the overall school development plan. In most cases the governing body will have time to plan and implement changes over a period of time.
Key Dates are: • September 2006 – Interim food-based standards for school lunches. • September 2007 – Revised food-based lunch standards and non-lunch standards (i.e. breakfast, mid-morning break, vending, tuck-shops and after school clubs). • 2008 Primary schools, 2009 secondary and special schools – Nutrient-based and final food-based standards for school lunches. • September 2008 – First teaching of revised Key Stage 3 curriculum (11-14 year olds). This includes the food technology curriculum, which has been revised to place greater emphasis on practical food skills – planning and cooking meals, diet and nutrition, and food safety and hygiene. Step 7 Consultation
Having collected your information and developed your proposals, you now need to re-consult widely to ensure that you have support for your plans.
As part of the consultation you need to make the case for implementing a whole school food policy. In your consultation document you will need to:
• Set out the overall aim of your policy: • A short statement may be appropriate for this. This would describe what you want to achieve and provide a short explanation of your aims. It also provides a reference point to refer back to as you implement your policy.
EXEMPLAR STATEMENT ‘We aim to ensure that healthier food and drink is provided at all times of day, taking account of individual needs (e.g. cultural, ethical, medical), reflecting nutrition and healthy eating messages in the curriculum, and with the support of the whole school.
‘The governing body recognises its responsibility for setting a strategic framework for the school’s food policy and for monitoring its implementation’. Governors’ Strategic Policy Framework | 11
• Explain why you want to implement the policy: • Provide background information on the need to improve children’s diets and the other benefits this has to schools.
• Explain briefly the new legislation relating to school food. The School Food Trust has developed guides for schools and a leaflet for parents that clearly explain why the standards have been introduced, highlight how the standards should be interpreted and offer practical advice and ideas on how to implement the standards. Copies of these guides and the leaflet can be downloaded from the School Food Trust website: www.schoolfoodtrust.ork.uk
• Explain that Government policy requires schools to work towards the five outcomes of ‘Every Child Matters’, one of which is “being healthy”.
• Describe the school’s survey results which give the views of pupils, parents and staff about food and healthy eating and any changes they would like implemented.
• Explain how you intend to implement the policy and assess its progress: The detailed proposals for each aspect of your whole school food policy including proposed timescales. Step 8 Implementation
Once agreement is reached and the policy written, the governing body needs to hand over the implementation and day-to-day management to the headteacher and the appointed member of the senior management team responsible for school food. Step 9 Monitor and Review
Once implementation is in process the role of the governing body becomes one of monitoring and review.
The relevant committees will require regular feedback from the senior management team. Such feedback may include: • Implementation of best practice by caterers • Take-up of school lunches • Vending machine/tuckshop sales • Pupil and parent satisfaction surveys • Career development of catering staff • Issues specific to your school
Monitoring and review will lead to ongoing policy development with changes over time. Step 10 Celebrate your success
Having gone through all the preceding steps, your school should now be well on its way to achieving the healthy eating theme of the Healthy School status through the National Healthy School Programme. You can also now easily build on your positive ‘Whole School Approach’ to deliver other themes of Healthy School status successfully. So celebrate your success with the whole school family! Make sure that, whatever your celebration, it includes lots of healthy, tasty food and drinks! 12 | Food Policy in Schools
Policy Development for Individual Areas
School Councils
Aims • To provide a mechanism for consulting pupils at all stages of developing the school food policy. • To allow pupils to take responsibility for aspects of the school food policy.
Background School Councils aim to involve pupils democratically in the life of their school. A School Council helps a school to listen to the views its pupils. It provides a structure to facilitate this communication and to enable pupils to take responsibility for many aspects of school life in which they were not previously involved or consulted. Pupils are elected to represent their classes. They contribute the views of their classmates to discussions and decision making at the School Council. Pupils can, therefore, make suggestions to change aspects of school life. Food issues are a common agenda item at School Council meetings. Governors are often asked to attend School Council meetings to listen to views and to provide information about school policies. School Council representatives sometimes attend governing body meetings as observers for non-confidential items. Alternatively you could suggest that a School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG) be set up specifically to discuss food issues in school. A SNAG can include pupils, teachers, parents, caterers, a governor, and a health professional such as a dietician associated with the school. Issues to consider • Has the school already set up a School Council or SNAG? • Is there effective communication between the School Council or SNAG and the governing body so that pupils can make real contributions to policy making? • You could consider delegating specific aspects of policy development to the School Council or SNAG, e.g. pupil surveys, menu design, rules for breaktime snacks.
Moseley School, Birmingham, is a secondary school with students aged from 11 to 18 years in which ‘student voice’ is very important. When the governing body was considering its options for a new catering contract, naturally the School Council was consulted. Over previous years the school had been addressing the health agenda and had banned turkey ‘drummers’ and ‘twizzlers’, removed vending machines, stopped selling chocolate and fizzy drinks and reduced levels of salt and sugar in recipes. However, despite an increase in the consumption of ‘meals of the day’, chips and pizza remained the staple of many students diet.
School Council members suggested that students would welcome the provision of more vegetables. The School Council also highlighted a need for better education about healthy eating and members approved a consultation process involving questionnaires for Years 7 and 9. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 13
Mayfield C.E. Middle School for 9-13 year olds on the Isle of Wight has established a Parents' Group and Pupils’ Food Committee, in which governors are represented, to continue building on the groundwork done to involve the whole school community in health issues. The Chair of Governors takes a keen interest in diet and health issues in the school.
Information/Guidance/Resources School Councils UK (supported by DCSF) www.schoolcouncils.org
LA advisers for Citizenship and PSHE can support schools in setting up School Councils.
School Nutrition Action Groups. See www.healthedtrust.com/pages/snag.htm School Lunches
Aims • Maintain and/or increase levels of uptake of school lunches • Ensure that the food provided is compliant with the new standards for school lunch, is of a high quality and promotes health • Ensure that the choices provided address cultural, religious and special dietary needs • Ensure the school has the capacity to provide a meal for all those who require one
Background For some pupils, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the school lunch may be the only substantial meal they eat during the whole day. It is therefore important that the school lunch provides a tasty and nutritious meal for all pupils. Following a consultation in 2005, the Government introduced new minimum standards for school lunches. From September 2006 schools were required to comply with the interim food-based standards for school lunches. From September 2007 food- based standards for food other than lunch will be introduced which cover all school food, rather than just school lunches.
What responsibilities do governors already have in relation to food provided in schools? Where meals funding has been delegated then the governing body is responsible for the provision of the school meals service.
Since April 2000 funding for school meals has been delegated to all secondary schools. Some LAs also delegate meals funding to primary and special schools. Where this is not the case primary and special schools may opt to have a delegated budget.
What schools must provide Governing bodies are required to provide the following meals services within schools: 14 | Food Policy in Schools
• Free School Meals – for those pupils who are entitled to a free school meal (FSM). This does not have to be a cooked meal. Pupils qualify for a FSM if their parents receive one of the following benefits1: • Income Support (IS); • Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA); • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; or • Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) that, as of 6 April 2007, does not exceed £14,495; • The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit. • Children who receive IS or IBJSA in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.
• Paid School Meals – for any other pupil within the school whose parents have requested that a meal is provided. This does not have to be a cooked meal. All pupils must be charged the same amount for the same quantity of food.
• Facilities to eat Packed Lunches – to enable pupils who have brought food from home to eat it. Pupils cannot be charged for the use of facilities.
What schools can provide The Education and Inspections Act 2006 gives governing bodies the power to provide free school meals to those pupils who do not meet the statutory criteria. Governing bodies will need to consider the cost implications before adopting such a course of action.
Compliance with the new food standards for School Lunch Where the Local Authority (LA) has delegated the budget for the provision of school meals then the governing body is responsible for ensuring that the school food provision complies with relevant regulations for school food. The new regulations governing school lunches come into force over a period of three years. The three-year period started in September 2006 with the introduction of interim food-based standards for school lunches.
From September 2007 schools must comply with The Education (Nutritional Standards for School Food) (England) Regulations 2007. These apply to primary, secondary and special schools. For the first time standards will apply not just to food served at lunchtimes, but across the school day. From September 2007 all food provided between 8am – 6pm must comply with the new food-based standards for food other than lunch; these are very similar, but not identical to the Regulations for school lunches currently in place. The Regulations divide food into a series of groups and set out how often food in each group must/can/must not be provided. For example, fruit and vegetables must be available every day, only two portions of deep fried food can be served in any one week and confectionery may not be provided at all. The new food-based standards can be viewed overleaf.
The School Food Trust (SFT) has developed a web-based tool to help schools check whether their school lunches meet the food standards. It is based on a simple traffic light system:
1 These criteria were correct at the time of going to print. They are subject to changes in legislation and thresholds. You should check with your local authority for the most up to date information. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 15
• Green – food meets the standard • Amber – food does not meet the standard due to incomplete data • Red – food does not meet the standard • Where a red signal is given the school will be referred to further information.
To register and use the provision tool, log-on to the School Food Trust website: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
The School Food Trust is currently in the process of developing a similar tool for self-monitoring food other than lunch, which will be available in September 2007.
NB: Special Schools – a maintained special school which takes both junior and senior pupils is treated under the Regulations as a primary school.
From 2008 (primary) and 2009 (secondary) the nutrient-based standards and the final food-based standards will be mandatory for school lunches. The nutrient-based standards set out the proportion of energy and 13 specific nutrients that children and young people should receive from a school lunch. As with the food-based standards, the nutrient-based standards set out either the maximum or minimum amount of each nutrient permitted in an average school lunch. Further details on the nutrient standards can be found on the SFT’s website: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
This does not mean that every meal served to each individual pupil must comply with the new regulations. To comply schools must be able to demonstrate that the average school lunch meets the required nutrient standards across a ‘menu cycle’; the cycle must be no less than one and no more than four weeks. For that period the total amounts of energy and nutrients provided by all school lunches in the cycle are divided by the estimated number of school lunches served to individual pupils. The nutrient standards can be viewed overleaf.
A checklist of the interim food-based standards for school lunches in England – these apply from September 2007
Food group Key elements of the food-based standard Y/N At least two portions a day, of which at least one must be salad, vegetables or vegetable juice and at least one must be fruit, fruit salad or fruit juice. Fruit and vegetables in all forms, whether fresh, frozen, tinned in juice or dried. Fruit salad, fresh or tinned in juice. Fruit juice or vegetable juice. A fruit-based dessert with a content of at least 50% fruit measured by weight More fruit of the raw ingredients must be available at least twice per week in primary and vegetables schools. A portion of meat, fish and other non-dairy sources of protein must be provided everyday. Primary schools – a dairy source of protein may be provided in place of meat, fish or an non-dairy source of protein.
Red meat – to be provided twice a week in primary schools and three times Meat, fish and a week in secondary schools. other non dairy Fish – to be provided once a week in primary schools and twice a week in sources of secondary schools. protein Oily Fish – once every three weeks in both primary and secondary schools. 16 | Food Policy in Schools
Food group Key elements of the food-based standard Y/N
A meat product (manufactured or homemade) from each of the four groups below may be provided no more than once per fortnight across the school day providing Meat the meat product also meets the standards for minimum meat content and does (manufactured not contain any prohibited offal. or homemade) Group 1: Burger, hamburger, chopped meat, corned meat. products – Group 2: Sausage, sausage meat, link, chipolata, luncheon meat. restricted Group 3: Individual meat pie, meat pudding, Melton Mowbray pie, game pie, Scottish (or Scotch) pie, pasty or pastie, bridie, sausage roll. Group 4: Any other shaped or coated meat product.
A starchy food (bread, pasta, noodles, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, millet and cornmeal) must be provided everyday.
A starchy food cooked in fat or oil (e.g. roast or sauté potatoes, fried rice or noodles, garlic bread) must not be provided more than three times in a single Starchy foods week across the school day.
Every day that a starchy food cooked in fat or oil is provided, a starchy food not cooked in fat or oil should also be provided.
A type of bread with no added fat or oil must be provided everyday.
Deep fried food No more than two deep-fried foods, such as chips and batter-coated products, in – restricted a single week across the school day.
Milk and dairy Milk or dairy food (cheese, yoghurt (including frozen), fromage frais and custard; foods but not butter or cream) must be provided every day.
Salt should not be added to food after the cooking process is complete. This Salt – restricted means Salt should not be provided at lunch tables or at service counters.
Condiments – Condiments, such as ketchup and mayonnaise, should only be available in restricted sachets or individual portions of not more than 10g or 1 teaspoonful.
Snacks such as crisps must not be provided. Nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit with Snacks – no added salt, sugar or fat are allowed. Savoury crackers and breadsticks can be restricted provided at lunchtime as part of a meal when served with fruit, vegetables or dairy food but not at any other time of the school day.
No Confectionery such as sweets or chocolate, including products containing, coated confectionery with or flavoured by, chocolate, should not be provided as part of school lunches.
Cakes and Cakes and biscuits may be provided during school lunches as part of a meal – but not at any other time of the school day. biscuits – Cakes and biscuits must not include any confectionery – e.g. biscuits containing restricted or coated with chocolate are not permitted.
The only drinks permitted during the school day are plain water (still or sparkling), skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, fruit juice or vegetable juice, plain Healthier drinks soya, rice or oat drinks enriched with calcium, plain yoghurt drinks, or combinations of the above. Tea, coffee and low calorie hot chocolate containing no more than 20 calories per 100 millilitres.
Water Free, fresh drinking water should be provided everyday. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 17
What is the role of the governing body in monitoring the standards? As stated above where the school has a delegated budget for school meals then the governing body is responsible for ensuring that the school food standards are met. This does not mean that the governing body should stand in the canteen and check what is on offer and what pupils are eating. The governing body’s role is strategic, but it does need to ensure that the school’s food provision meets the mandatory standards.
School lunch services are provided in different ways: direct by the school, by the local authority catering service or by third party providers. The governing body will need to determine which is the most appropriate method for the school. The DCSF has provided advice on the procurement of school meals. This can be found on the Teachernet website at: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk
The governing body needs to ensure that the school is complying with the new standards for school food. The mechanisms it employs to do this will depend upon the type of school meals service they use. The governing body should ensure that:
• catering contracts comply with the relevant nutritional standards; • the catering manager/local authority/other contractor has the ability to monitor that the standards are being met; and • the governing body receives regular reports on compliance as well as take-up and costings.
Issues to consider • Consultation with School Council or SNAG. • Whether the school caterer is following best practice guidance. • Whether the school catering manager or head cook has been on any relevant training courses in the past 12 months. • Consultation with parents and pupils about future provision/choices of healthier food items. • Whether to retain the existing provider, to consider alternative providers or to provide in-house service. • If retaining existing provider, review and consider re-negotiation of existing contract • Negotiate directly as an individual governing body, or • Negotiate through your local governor association to enhance bargaining power through weight of numbers. • If considering in-house provision: • Do you have facilities already in place? • What are the implications for equipment? • What are the health, safety and food hygiene responsibilities? • Decide on staffing arrangements and whether to enhance the status and conditions of current staff. • Choices at the Food Counter: • Is a wide range of choice necessary? • Should choice only relate to cultural, religious and dietary needs? • How to monitor the catering contract (a governor responsibility): • Is the contractor meeting the statutory standards. 18 | Food Policy in Schools
CASE STUDIES Following the end of its contract with Essex County Council, Beckers Green Primary School decided to set up its own in-house school lunch catering service. One of the key aims of the governors was to provide healthier, better quality food. The school also decided that each day it would offer the choice of just two main meals, one meat one vegetarian option, served with potatoes and vegetables or salad. Children have a choice of semi-skimmed milk, fruit juice or water to drink. Since implementing these changes lunch take up has risen steadily. This illustrates that children do not need extensive choices and that they will eat a balanced meal including vegetables.
Healthy School Lunches at Hillesley Hillesley CEVA Primary is a small village school in rural Gloucestershire (44 pupils). The school kitchen disappeared many years ago and the school effectively has had no hot meals service over the last ten years. Regular parental surveys had shown that there would be an interest in such a service if it could be provided.
A short-lived experiment of bringing meals from a neighbouring school failed, largely on quality grounds. In addition, the school lacked facilities and had severely limited space. In more recent times the school considered the possibility of linking with the local pub, but this did not get off the ground.
In 2006 the Diocese of Gloucester bought and renovated a neighbouring chapel to provide a hall for the school. Although the kitchen facilities did not enable the school to cook meals on site, the hall did for the first time give the school sufficient space to serve hot meals.
Quite by accident in spring 2006 the school discovered a parent who not only had catering experience, but was willing and able to provide a meal service to the school. The requisite certificates and approvals were obtained from both the local authority and local council to allow the service to go ahead. The school purchased dishes, cutlery etc; allocated some cupboard space and acquired the insulated trolley used to move the food. The costs were covered by its Healthy Schools Grant. The lunchtime staff were also consulted about the changes as the move to hot meals did mean some change to their duties.
The meals are cooked at home and then transported to the Hall and served by the catering provider – MUNCH. In September 2006 the school began to serve hot meals for the first time, starting with three hot meals a week. The produce used is fresh, local and organic, with many of the vegetables coming from the local Highgrove Estate.
The service has proved a great success. More than 80% of the children take the healthy nutritious hot meals; parents are delighted and happy to pay £2.40/meal; the school is happy because it has enhanced hugely what it can offer with very little outlay or effort. And, it has had a positive effect on the local economy as the parent concerned, Lorna Butcher, is now the Managing Director of her own company, MUNCH! Policy Development for Individual Areas | 19
Information/Guidance/Resources The nutritional standards and other legislation relating to school lunches. Link: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/healthyliving/schoolfoodanddrink/
A guide to the Government’s new food-based standards for school lunches (revised). (2007) The School Food Trust. Link: http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/UploadDocs/Library/Documents/School-food- trust.pdf
Schools Meals in Secondary Schools in England. Nelson M et al. (2004) Food Standards Agency/Department for Education and Skills. DfES Research Report 557. DCSF Publications, Nottingham. Link: http://www.dcfs.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR557.pdf
Schools Meals in Primary Schools in England. Nelson M et al. (2004) Food Standards Agency/Department for Education and Skills. DfES Research Report 753. DCSF Publications, Nottingham. Link: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR753.pdf
Annual survey of school meal take-up. M Nelson and Jo Nicholas. The School Food Trust. (2006). Link: http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/doc_item.asp?DocId=34
Food in Schools Toolkit. Dining Room Environment. (2005). Department of Health/ Department for Education and Skills /5 a Day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. Link: www.Foodinschools.org
Guidance on Procuring School Lunches – Department for Education and Skills. Link: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/10438/Guidance%20for%20Procuring%20School%20Lunches%20F inal%20Version.doc
Local Catering Services LA catering manager – can be contacted via your LA governor support service if necessary. Local Authority Catering Association. Link: www.laca.co.uk/
Providing Meals in Essex Primary Schools – Guidance for in-house provision. Link: www.eafl.org.uk/Downloads/EssexSchoolDirectory.pdf
Nutritional Guidelines for School Meals. Caroline Walker Trust. Link: www.cwt.org.uk/publications.html
School Food Trust (see page 40). www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk 20 | Food Policy in Schools
Packed Lunches Brought From Home
Aims • To ensure packed lunch contents are in line with the whole school food policy. • To gain parents’ agreement to a packed lunch policy.
Background A large proportion of children do not eat a school lunch and many bring their lunch from home. Therefore, a school food policy needs to address how to promote healthier packed lunches.
It is a common misconception that packed lunches brought from home provide a healthier choice than a school meal. Whilst packed lunches can provide a healthy option, the results of the Food Standards Agency School Lunchbox Surveys 2003 and 2004 challenged the assumption that lunchboxes are currently ‘healthy’. The findings indicated that many lunchboxes contained food with high levels of fat, sugar and salt.
The new standards for school food does not cover packed lunches brought from home, but following consultation with parents it is possible for schools to set guidelines regarding the content of packed lunches.
Issues to consider • Consultation with School Council or SNAG. • Provision of information for parents such as packed lunch menu plans. • Of all issues regarding food policy this is arguably the one that requires the most thorough and sensitive consultation with parents. • Use of dining room facilities and seating arrangements for eating packed lunches. • Storage of packed lunches. • Safety issues regarding glass bottles and tins in packed lunches – consider banning these. • Disposal of litter.
The Food Standards Agency has put together some healthier menus for packed lunches. The menus have been compiled so they balance over the week for energy, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, protein, salt and sugar and they meet the nutrient-based standards for school lunches.
Some examples for healthier packed lunches can be found in Annex 3 at the end of this document. Further information on healthier packed lunches can be found on the EatWell site via the following link: http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages Policy Development for Individual Areas | 21
CASE STUDY At Stoke Prior First School, Worcestershire, governors led the way in introducing healthy eating to their school and have now obtained Children’s Fund backing for a Great Grub Project in the county. They had enthusiastic support from the headteacher and staff, keeping parents informed through newsletters and information leaflets, and involving them and their children through food sampling and competitions.
No meals were provided, so the first target was to promote the idea of healthier food in packed lunches: reducing the amount of fat, salt and sugar and encouraging wholemeal bread, fruit and water.
They launched a four week programme of events in school. An anonymous survey of the contents of packed lunches was conducted and the children used their numeracy and IT lessons to analyse the results. A gourmet food tasting evening was held, sponsored by the local supermarket, and the supermarket provided prizes for two competitions: children were asked to design a packed lunch and parents had to come up with an unusual sandwich filling. Other events included a picnic day on the school field, homework on shopping lists and class visits to the supermarket.
A follow-up survey of packed lunches showed a significant increase in wholemeal bread, fruit, salad and water and a decrease in crisps and chocolate bars. The initiative was extended and has been sustained over a three-year period with follow-up events like healthier sandwich workshops and
Information/Guidance/Resources Food in Schools Toolkit. Healthier Lunchboxes. (2005). Department of Health/ Department for Education and Skills /5 a Day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. Link: www.Foodinschools.org
Pukka packed lunches from the Food Standards Agency http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/teens/packedlunches/ 22 | Food Policy in Schools
Breakfast Clubs
Aims • To provide a healthier breakfast for children who otherwise would go without. • To provide practical nutrition education. • To provide examples of healthier breakfasts to parents. • To ensure that the provision is in line with legislation and the whole school food policy.
Background Children who don’t have breakfast may have low blood sugar and be dehydrated, which can affect their ability to concentrate. It is known that significant numbers of children do not eat breakfast before leaving home. Breakfast club provision falls within the Extended Schools agenda and the Government’s target that schools should aim to offer ‘wrap around’ care between 8am and 6pm.
As well as providing a forum for healthier breakfasts, such clubs can address the needs of children who arrive at school very early and who don’t otherwise have a breakfast. They can be used to promote better attendance by pupils and also are a forum for involving parents in their child’s education including nutrition education. Breakfast clubs provide a range of activities such as reading, sports and exercise.
From September 2007 all food provided/sold in schools will be covered by the new food standards legislation, and in providing breakfast governing bodies will need to ensure that the food provided complies with the relevant Regulations. In all other situations, breakfast clubs will need to comply with the new standards by September 2007.
Issues to consider • Discussions with School Council or SNAG. • Who provides the service? • Whether to involve parents in the club as volunteers. • Whether to provide opportunities for parents to eat breakfast with their children and to use the opportunity to promote parenting skills in general with a focus on nutritional skills. • Charging policy/free provision. • Registering your breakfast club as a charity. • As with all out of school provision, whether in-house or contracted out, consider wider policies regarding funding, staffing, insurance, health and safety and food hygiene and special dietary needs. • Whether or not to target particular groups of disadvantaged pupils. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 23
CASE STUDY St Ivo School in Cambridgeshire has been running Books Over Breakfast for the past 4 years with the overall aim of encouraging pupils to engage in reading and enhance their levels of achievement. The main target group for the club is year 7 less able readers. The breakfast club is managed by a teacher and a teaching assistant (both of whom are paid for their time). They have also recruited 10 volunteers from year 12, whose work at the breakfast club contributes towards their compulsory community service. This integration of year groups helps to combat bullying through increased cross year and peer group communication.
The club is widely promoted across the school and local community. It is featured in the school prospectus, on the clubs and activities programme, on posters which are placed on notice boards and in classrooms, on the intranet and on the school website.
The club operates an ongoing monitoring and evaluation system by inviting parents into the club at least once a term, making the effort to gather informal feedback from the members and the parents, and asking everyone to complete a more formal questionnaire once a year. The Books Over Breakfast club has regular parties and celebratory events at Christmas and the end of each term, which offer a great opportunity to informally find out what people think about the club, what they have enjoyed doing and what they think could be improved.
Foods on offer include: Toast, low fat spreads/margarine, jams, marmalade, a variety of cereals, fresh fruit, yoghurt, milk, fruit juice, tea and coffee.
The club, which is free for members, is currently funded through Study Support, LA/Standards Fund. The three main benefits to pupils attending the club have been identified as: provision of breakfast for children who arrive early at school and may not otherwise have eaten before class time; improved social skills for less confident members; and improved attainment and interest in
Information/Guidance/Resources ContinYou Breakfast Club Project – www.breakfastclubsplus.org.uk
Food in Schools Toolkit. Healthier breakfast clubs. 2005. Department of Health/Department for Education and Skills/5 a day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. www.Foodinschools.org
DfES Extended Schools Guidance available on Teachernet – this covers issues governors need to be aware of in setting up provision outside of the normal school day. www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/extendedschools/detailedguidance/
School Food Trust: A guide to introducing the Government’s new food-based standards for school food other than lunches. http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/doc_item.asp?DocId=41&DocCatId=1 24 | Food Policy in Schools
After School Clubs
Aims To ensure that food and drink provision at after school clubs is in line with food standards Regulations and the whole school food policy whether it is provided in-house or by sub-contractors. To provide activities that promote the healthy eating agenda such as cookery clubs and growing clubs.
Background After school club provision falls within the Extended Schools agenda and the Government’s target that schools should aim to offer ‘wrap around care’ between 8am and 6pm. Where pupils are staying at school until 6pm, schools will need to provide food and drink and this gives opportunities to promote healthy eating and to provide nutrition education and related activities. Food and drink provided for after school provision must also meet the school food standards.
Issues to consider • Consultation with School Council or SNAG. • Consider wider policies regarding funding, staffing, insurance, health and safety, food hygiene and special dietary needs, as with all after school provision, whether in-house or contracted out. • Whether or not to target particular groups of disadvantaged pupils. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 25
CASE STUDY Norham Community College, George Stephenson High School, Burnside High School, Monkseaton High School and Southlands School in North Tyneside worked with the Children’s University and a local community dietitian to set up after-school-hours cooking clubs called Cook It! which have been commissioned by FSA.
With the help of school mentors, they also ran a special two-day cooking event, which included practical cooking sessions; a supermarket challenge for children to compare prices and try to buy a lunch for £2; ‘Ready Steady Cook vs Hell’s Kitchen’ with local chefs to produce a buffet for approximately 120 people; an outside visit to a large local kitchen catering for footballers; presentations; prizes and of course eating! Towards the end parents, who were all very impressed with the results, attended the event.
Information/Guidance/Resources DfES Extended Schools Guidance available on Teachernet – this covers issues governors need to be aware of in setting up provision outside of the normal school day. Link: www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/extendedschools/detailedguidance/
What’s cooking? A guide to setting up and running community and school food clubs (previously known as Cook It!) (2006). Food Standards Agency/ContinYou. Available from ContinYou. Link: http://www.food.gov.uk/healthiereating/nutritioncommunity/cookit http://www.continyou.org.uk/content.php?CategoryID=1063
Food in Schools Toolkit. Healthier cookery clubs. Growing Clubs. (2005). Department of Health/ Department for Education and Skills /5 a Day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. Link: www.Foodinschools.org
The School Food Trust – Lets Get Cooking – link: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
The Growing Schools website – link: www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/
Get Your Hands Dirty, a resource to help teachers consider the issues involved in growing plants, or caring for animals, in schools. The document can be downloaded from www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/ or ordered via email from: [email protected] 26 | Food Policy in Schools
Dining Environment
Aims • To ensure the dining environment is a desirable place where there is enough space to sit and eat a meal, promoting social and community cohesion.
Background Dining is a social and cultural experience. If you have a pleasant and happy dining environment, people will want to eat there. It is important to give young people ample opportunity to sit and enjoy their meal together, allowing them to feel rested and refreshed for learning in the afternoon.
Issues to consider If any of the issues to consider sound familiar to your school, there is material to provide solutions and suggestions to make simple changes. See information and guidance below.
• Dining Environment • How fresh and attractive is the dining environment? • Does the place feel inviting to those who are eating there? • Is the temperature appropriate throughout the year? • How do light and noise levels affect the ambience of the room? • Simple solutions such as using blinds or giving a wall a fresh lick of paint can change the look and feel of a room very quickly.
• Queuing Systems • Are queues for lunch long or confusing? • Is the lunchtime queue an opportunity for bullying? • If so how is this managed by the school? • How does the school ensure safe and orderly queuing at lunchtimes? • Look at the ways queues are managed and supervised: are there ways to reduce the tension and queue jumping? For example, often the fear of popular options running out will increase temptation to jump the queue. • Could staggering the lunchtime reduce the numbers of pupils entering the dining room and at the same time reduce queues?
• Timetable • Is the time made available for lunch long enough to ensure that all young people will have long enough to sit and eat their meal, whilst also being able to enjoy playing and extra curricular activities during lunch time.
• Menu and food presentation • The way that food looks at the serving counter and on the plate can significantly affect how likely pupils will want to eat school meals. Fresh looking food with nice crockery and cutlery will help make eating a pleasant experience.
• Promotion of menus and food options before and during lunchtime will encourage people to eat in the dining room, as well as reduce the time it takes for people to choose what they want whilst at the serving counter. Promote healthy eating at every opportunity, from using bright Policy Development for Individual Areas | 27
posters and table cloths, to running activities in school around healthy foods and gardening projects.
• Good Relations • The dining environment is at its best when it is a fun and relaxing place to be. Good relations between staff members and pupils are essential for providing a positive ambience and feel. If there are behaviour issues amongst the pupils, or general tensions between catering staff, supervision staff and pupils, these will automatically turn people off wanting to be there.
• Cashless economy • Consider whether you wish to adopt a smart/swipe card system or other alternative cashless system.
As part of a total revision of their school lunch service St Aidan’s High School in Harrogate introduced a cashless system using swipe cards. Pupils use the card to purchase all food in school. The system also enables the school to monitor individual pupils’ purchases of food and drink. The school issues reports to parents where it is felt a pupil is consistently making ‘inappropriate’ food choices.
• Whether pupils should be allowed to leave the premises at lunchtime • Consider whether this has an impact on attendance, behaviour and community relations as well as on lunchtime food choices. • Discuss with your School Council/SNAG the possibility of trialling or introducing a total or partial ban on leaving the premises.
Harry Carlton Secondary School in East Leake, Nottinghamshire has introduced restrictions on pupils leaving the premises at lunch times. This has been greatly welcomed by the local community and is now an accepted part of the school’s rules.
Information/Guidance/Resources Many of the ideas raised are discussed in more detail in the following booklet: A fresh look at the school meal experience. (2007) School Food Trust. http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
Food in Schools Toolkit. Dining Room Environment. (2005) Department of Health/ Department for Education and Skills/ 5 a Day/ Healthy Schools/ NHS. DH Publications, London. Link www.foodinschools.org 28 | Food Policy in Schools
Breaktime Snacks and Drinks
These could include snacks brought from home or bought from shops on the journey to school.
Aims • To ensure that breaktime snacks and drinks are in line with the whole school food policy. • To ensure that any snacks and drinks provided by the school meet the new school food standards. • To gain parents’ agreement to the school’s policy regarding snacks and drinks.
Background Many pupils consume large quantities of snacks (e.g. crisps, confectionery and sugary drinks) every day. Working with parents to influence snacks brought from home will generally be more relevant to primary schools than secondary schools. Secondary school pupils are more likely to buy their own snacks on the way to school.
• Food provided by the School • All food provided by the school whether through a tuck shop, a vending machine, or free of charge must meet the new school food standards.
• Food brought from Home • Food brought from home is not covered by the Regulations, but the school can set its own rules as regards what food can be brought from home. The governing body will need to set a specific school policy. Parents and pupils should be consulted before any policy is implemented.
Issues to consider • Involving pupils in drawing up the rules through the School Council or SNAG. • Thorough consultation with parents to gain their agreement. • Restricting snacks to fruit and vegetables or to those items which the school can provide under the new standards. • The impact on the needs of those with special dietary requirements. • Disposal of litter. • Safety issues regarding bottles, cans and ring-pulls. • Restricting snacks to those bought from the healthier school tuck shop. • For young children, providing communal snacks in the classroom immediately before breaktime. • For young children, replacing snacks with fruit and vegetables through the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme.
Haslingden Primary School, Lancashire, introduced a healthy snack policy in school. They decided that only fruit would be allowed at morning play times. The school considered how best it could encourage the provision of fruit snacks and decided that one way would be to set up a fruit tuck shop so that pupils could purchase fruit snacks at school.
The School Council carried out a survey of all pupils to discover which fruit they preferred and also ran a competition to name the tuck shop. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 29
The Tootey Frootey Tuck Shop opens before school to allow pupils to purchase their fruit snacks for breaktime. The policy was successfully introduced to the school and pupils could soon be seen eating fruit during playtimes. The tuck shop helped kick start the policy, but now many pupils bring fruit direct from home. As well as encouraging healthy eating, a side benefit of the policy has been a tidier playground with noticeably less litter.
Information/Guidance/Resources Department of Health, School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/FiveADay/FiveADayGeneralInformatio n/FiveADayGeneralArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4002149&chk=DeYbs5
School Food Trust www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
Tuck Shops
Aims • To ensure that tuck shop provision is in line with food standards legislation and the whole school food policy. • To provide a source of healthier food and drink. • To make use of tuck shops as a way of educating pupils about healthier snack foods.
Background Pupils need food and drink during the school day to maintain energy and concentration levels. Tuck shops offer an alternative to bringing food and drink from home or to buying it from local shops. Primary schools are unlikely to provide vending machines and many consider tuck shops as an alternative. Tuck shops can offer pupils opportunities for taking responsibility and for practical involvement in enterprise education programmes.
From September 2007 the provision of food in tuck shops is also covered by the new food standards. To see what food must/can/cannot be provided in tuck-shops, see the grid in the vending section on page 31.
Issues to consider • Involve pupils through School Councils or SNAGs in agreeing rules for tuck shops. • Communicate with parents so they are aware of what is provided. • Whether to provide only a fruit and vegetable tuck shop, or a tuck shop selling the range of items allowed under the Regulations. • Litter disposal. • Your charging policy and whether or not to make a profit. • Supply in terms of availability of healthier items as well as price, delivery etc. • Storage issues and shelf-life of products. 30 | Food Policy in Schools
• Allergy issues – unsalted nuts are allowed under Regulations and are viewed by vegans and many vegetarians as an important source of protein. However, many schools ban nuts because of the severe allergic reaction they can cause in some pupils. • Opening times. • Staffing arrangements and whether to involve pupils and/or parent volunteers.
Mayfield C.E. Middle School for 9-13 year olds, situated on the Isle of Wight, with an above national average proportion of children eligible for free school meals, has recently established a Milk Bar providing a range of healthier drinks and snack foods for break-times. The Milk Bar came about through discussions with the school catering company. Break-time snacks have been restricted to toast, fruit, water, juice and semi-skimmed milk, thereby cutting out crisps, chocolate bars and sweetened flavoured drinks. Money comes from the children, meal card allowances and a Government allocation for subsidy for children up to 11 years. It is already proving to be a huge success.
Information/Guidance/Resources Food in Schools Toolkit. Healthier tuck shops. Department of Health/ Department for Education and Skills/Healthy Schools/ NHS. See also www.Foodinschools.org
A Practical Guide to Running a Fruit Tuckshop. Food Standards Agency Link: www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/fruittuckwales
Guidance on Healthier products to stock your tuckshop with. British Nutrition Foundation. Link: www.nutrition.org.uk/
Vending
Aims • To provide healthier refreshments both during and outside school catering hours. • To ensure that vending is in line with Regulations and the whole school food policy. • To limit branding and advertising associated with vending machines. • To generate income for the school.
Background Generally this is a secondary school issue with limited relevance to primary schools. The new regulations restrict the sale of confectionery, savoury snacks and sugary drinks in schools. This will have a substantial effect upon school vending machines. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 31
A checklist of the food-based standards for school food other than lunch in England
Food group Key elements of the food-based standard Fruit and vegetables must be provided in all school food outlets. More fruit and vegetables Fruit and vegetables in all forms, whether fresh, frozen, tinned in juice or dried. Fruit salad, fresh or tinned in juice. Fruit juice or vegetable juice.
A meat product (manufactured or homemade) from each of the four groups below may be provided no more than once per fortnight across the school Meat day providing the meat product also meets the standards for minimum meat (manufactured content and does not contain any prohibited offal. or homemade) Group 1: Burger, hamburger, chopped meat, corned meat. products – Group 2: Sausage, sausage meat, link, chipolata, luncheon meat. restricted Group 3: Individual meat pie, meat pudding, Melton Mowbray pie, game pie, Scottish (or Scotch) pie, pasty or pastie, bridie, sausage roll. Group 4: Any other shaped or coated meat product.
A starchy food cooked in fat or oil (e.g. roast or sauté potatoes, fried rice or Starchy food noodles, garlic bread) must not be provided more than three times in a single week across the school day.
Deep fried food No more than two deep-fried foods, such as chips and batter-coated products, – restricted are permitted across lunch and all other food services in a single week.
Salt should not be added to food after the cooking process is complete. This Salt – restricted means salt should not be provided at lunch tables or at service counters.
Condiments – Condiments, such as ketchup and mayonnaise, should only be available in restricted sachets or individual portions of not more than 10g or 1 teaspoonful.
Snacks such as crisps must not be provided. Nuts, seeds, vegetables and Snacks – fruit with no added salt, sugar or fat are allowed. restricted Savoury crackers and breadsticks can be provided at lunchtime as part of a meal when served with fruit, vegetables or dairy food but not at any other time of the school day.
No cakes and Cakes and biscuits must not be provided (except at lunchtime). biscuits
No Confectionery such as sweets or chocolate, including products containing, coated with or flavoured by, chocolate, should not be provided as part of confectionery school lunches.
The only drinks permitted during the school day are plain water (still or sparkling), skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, fruit juice or vegetable juice, Healthier drinks plain soya, rice or oat drinks enriched with calcium, plain yoghurt drinks, or combinations of the above. Tea, coffee and low calorie hot chocolate containing no more than 20 calories per 100 millilitres.
Water Free, fresh drinking water should be provided everyday. 32 | Food Policy in Schools
The examples below suggest which food and drinks can/cannot be provided at food services other than lunch.
Examples of food and drinks meeting the Whole pieces of fresh fruit e.g banana, apple, pear new standards Canned fruit in natural juice Breakfast cereals with milk or yoghurt Sandwiches Pasta salads Filled pitta bread or rolls Fillings/toppings: cheese, hard boiled egg, peanut butter, houmous, tahini, sliced meat, bacon, meat or fish paste, tinned fish Porridge Bowls of noodles with vegetables or meat Tortillas, enchiladas, fajitas, burritos, quesadillas Plain water skimmed or semi-skimmed milk Plain soya, rice or oat drinks Tea or coffee Low calorie hot chocolate (containing no more than 20 calories per 100ml)
Examples of food and drinks restricted Meat products: corned beef, sausages, sausage rolls, across the school day scotch eggs, hamburgers, Cornish pasties, pork pie, samosa, kebabs, meatballs, chicken or turkey nuggets. Starchy food cooked in oil or fat: fried rice, sauté potatoes, chappati, garlic bread. Deep fried products: potato wedges, potato skins, chips, plantain chips, spring rolls.
Examples of food and drinks not meeting Dried fruit or vegetable with added fat, sugar or salt. the new standards Cereals coated with chocolate. Crisps or crisp-like products (e.g tortilla chips or prawn crackers) Processed fruit bars. Cakes: slice of cake or individual cakes. Pastries. Toast with chocolate spread. Fruit pies surrounded by pastry (e.g. individual apple pies). Flavoured water. Squash/cordial. Soft drinks including fizzy drinks containing less than 5% vegetable juice.
For a more extensive list see the School Food Trust’s publication ‘A guide to the Government’s new food-based standards for school lunches (revised)’ http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/UploadDocs/Library/Documents/School-food-trust.pdf Policy Development for Individual Areas | 33
The governors of Downham Market High School in Norfolk took the decision to remove fizzy drinks vending machines from the school’s main site where 1250+ students are educated.
The governors subsequently agreed to take part in the government’s ‘Food in Schools’ Healthier Food Vending Project and installed a carousel vending machine.
A fundamental part of this project and the school’s philosophy was the engagement of the students in the planning of the project and selection of products.
The machine was stocked with a range of products that included freshly made sandwiches, baguettes, pasta and fruit salad pots, dried fruit, yoghurt, water and pure fruit juices. The students had access to the machine before and after school as well as at breaks and lunchtimes.
The machine proved so popular that a second was acquired. The machines have proved to be a sound commercial proposition and the only problem has been keeping them restocked to meet the high demand.
Issues to consider • Consultation with School Council or SNAG (this is a key element in success). • Review of existing contractual arrangements: • If the school already has a vending machine contract is it possible to renegotiate or terminate the contract? • Will the school incur any penalties as a result of changes to legislation? • If your school is part of a PFI project make sure at the planning stage that you will retain control and income. • Estimate the amount of income currently generated. • The type of vending machine provision you prefer: • No vending machines at all • Machines offering non-banned options • Machines with or without branding. • Consider litter disposal. • Who has responsibility for filling the machines on a daily basis? – Make sure the vending machines are placed conveniently for them to maintain full stocks. • The siting of the machines around the school and whether the location leads to competition with school catering. • Consultation with pupils about preferred healthier items to be stocked. • Do the products meet the lunch standards – essential if the vending service is part of lunch provision.
Harry Carlton School in Nottinghamshire was rebuilt under a PFI contract. The new buildings were opened in September 2003. The school’s canteen housed several vending machines all of which contained confectionery and sugary drinks. All profits from the vending machines went directly to the contractor.
The school discovered that under the terms of the contract it had no direct control over the contents of the vending machines and was locked into a contract for three years. The headteacher managed to negotiate changes to the content of one of the machines so that it offered healthier options. He is currently negotiating to have all the vending machines removed from the school in advance of the official end of the contract. 34 | Food Policy in Schools
Information/Guidance/Resources A feasibility study into healthier drinks vending in schools. Harvey J. (2004). Food Standards Agency, London. Link: www.food.org.uk/multimedia/pdfs/vendingreport.pdf
Vending Healthy Drinks: a guide for schools (2004). FSA/Health Education Trust/The Dairy Council. Link: www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/vendingmachinebooklet.pdf
Food in Schools Toolkit. Healthier vending. (2005). Department of Health/ Department for Education and Skills /5 a day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. Link: www.Foodinschools.org
The School Food Trust will be producing a booklet on healthy vending by Autumn 2007.
Water
Aims • To encourage pupils to drink water at frequent intervals throughout the day. • To educate pupils about the importance of hydration. • To ensure that all pupils have easy access to free, fresh drinking water throughout the school day. Background Schools must have a supply of drinking water. The NHSP recommend that free, fresh, preferably chilled, drinking water should be available throughout the lunch period and preferably throughout the day. Many schools, particularly in the secondary sector do not have easily accessible drinking water. It is not suitable for drinking water to be sited in toilet areas. The health benefits of drinking water are widely acknowledged. It is important that as part of a whole school food policy the governing body considers how to promote water consumption.
Issues to consider • Consultation with School Council or SNAG. • Whether to allow pupils to drink water at their desks, where appropriate (e.g. not in computer suites etc). • Whether to provide plastic sports bottles with non-spill caps. • Provision of water fountains/coolers – how many needed and where to site etc? (See resources section.) • Whether these should be mains fed or free standing. • Ensure adequate water is available during hot weather and after physical activity. • Whether bottled water should be sold from vending machines. • Adequate provision of jugs of water and plastic beakers on dining tables. • Whether to ban sugary drinks brought from home for breaktime snacks or in packed lunches. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 35
A week of events in school launched Stoke Prior First School’s Water Policy. The children had visits from Severn Trent Water Authority, a football coach to talk about drinking water in sport, and other talks on the difficulty of obtaining clean drinking water in other countries. The Blue Peter Wells appeal and a poster competition for National Drink Water Day also helped to raise awareness on global and national water issues. Free water bottles were issued to all children as part of school uniform and star charts were used to encourage children to bring their filled bottles every day.
Throughout the food (see page 24) and water campaigns, local press and radio covered the school’s events. In October 2003 the governors who initiated the activity were invited to speak to MPs and health experts at the Westminster Diet and Health Forum.
Information/Guidance/Resources Food in Schools Toolkit. Water provision. (2005). Department of Health/ Department for Education and Skills /5 a Day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. Link: www.Foodinschools.org
Teachernet (Drinking Water). Link: www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/healthyliving/foodanddrink/drinkingwater/
Water for Health Alliance Provides information about the health benefits of water. http://www.water.org.uk/home/water-for-health
Water is Cool in Schools Link: www.wateriscoolinschool.org.uk/index.html
Yorkshire Water “Cool Schools” Campaign. Link: www.yorkshirewater.com/yorkshirewater/schools.html
Water authority websites – many other water authorities have developed drinking water schemes for schools. Check out your water provider’s website for details.
Food Allergy
Aims • To ensure that the school has considered the needs of food-allergic pupils and has developed appropriate procedures. • To ensure that affected children are not unknowingly exposed to food allergens like nuts and seeds during schools hours. • To extend these policies to breakfast and after school clubs and any trips organised by the school. • To consider the needs of food-allergic pupils when teaching the Food Technology and other curricula.
Background True food allergies are reproducible adverse reactions to a particular food that involve the immune 36 | Food Policy in Schools
system. Virtually all known food allergens are proteins. They can be present in the food in large amounts and often survive food-processing conditions. Allergic reactions are characterised by the rapid release of chemicals in the body that cause symptoms, which can occur within minutes or up to an hour or more after ingestion of the allergen. Whilst almost any food protein can cause an allergic reaction in some people, the most common food allergens in Europe include cereals containing gluten (like wheat, rye, barley), seafood (including crabs, prawns, lobsters, muscles and cockles), eggs, fish, peanuts, milk, tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia nuts and Queensland nuts), soya, sesame, celery, mustard and SO2.
The proportion of the population with true food allergy is approximately 1-2% of adults and about 5- 8% of children, which equates to about 1.5 million people in the UK.
Coeliac disease is not an allergy. Whilst it is classified as a food intolerance it is not like other intolerances in that it is an ‘auto-immune’ disease, which means that the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues. In coeliac disease this attack is triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. This intolerance to gluten causes an inflammatory response that damages the gut. Villi (tiny, finger-like projections that line the gut) become inflamed and then flattened (villous atrophy), leading to a decreased surface area for absorption of nutrients from food. People with undiagnosed coeliac disease can, as a result, have a wide range of digestive symptoms and can suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
Issues to consider • Whether staff are confident in having the knowledge and skills to care for food-allergic children, including what to do if it is suspected that a pupil is having an allergic reaction. • Whether the school has adequate insurance.
Information/Guidance/Resources Anaphylaxis Campaign has a dedicated website aimed at schools and pre-schools: http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/guidance_for_schools/guidance_for_schools.html
Coeliac UK: http://www.coeliac.co.uk/
Food Standards Agency: http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/foodintolerance/
Curriculum
Aims • To ensure that the whole school food policy encompasses nutrition education in the curriculum. • To ensure that the school has in place a broad and systematic food and nutrition curriculum for all age groups.
Background The governing body has a strategic role. The headteacher is responsible for preparing the curriculum policy. The role of the governing body is to consider, agree, monitor and review the policy and its implementation. Policy Development for Individual Areas | 37
As part of this responsibility for monitoring and reviewing the curriculum policy, the governing body will need to ensure that nutrition/healthy eating education is embedded in the curriculum, that there is consistency across different subjects (science, technology, PSHE, PE etc.), and that it is consistent with the whole school food policy.
It is not the governing body’s role to be involved in day-to-day management issues such as detailed curriculum planning or the selection of teaching resources. A whole school food policy should, however, address effective nutrition education within the curriculum. Ofsted has consistently reported that unless schools adopt a strategic approach to food and nutrition education, which develops a broad understanding of healthy eating in a systematic way, it has little effect on children’s eating habits.
By 2013, all children will have the opportunity to acquire the practical skills to prepare simple nutritious dishes from basic ingredients by the end of Key Stage 4. School have flexibility in how this is delivered. Timed to tie in with the introduction of the next Key Stage 3 curriculum in 2008, options for teaching include: during KS3 food technology lesson time; during KS4; during an ‘activity week’; through out-of-school-hours provision; or a combination of these.
The entitlement to cook will mean that every young person who wants to can learn basic cooking skills through dedicated lessons in food preparation techniques, diet and nutrition, hygiene and safety, and wise food shopping.
To improve the skills and knowledge of young people in relation to food and nutrition, a set of minimum food competences that children should know, understand and be able to apply at the ages of 7-9, 11-12, 14 and 16+ years, are currently being developed by the Food Standards Agency. The food competences will help those responsible for and/or working with young people to identify some of the building blocks that can help young people learn more about food and health. The framework of skills and knowledge apply to all learning experiences that young people are exposed to, including in and outside school, wider activities or through family life.
Further information on these developments can be found at www.food.gov.uk
Issues to consider • Whether food and nutrition education is provided for every age group through a planned developmental approach. • Whether there is consistency across subjects and with food provision and with other aspects of the whole school food policy. • Whether teachers are confident in having the knowledge, skills and resources to deliver the food and nutrition curriculum.
Information/Guidance/Resources The Education (School Government) (Terms of Reference) (England) Regulations 2000 – set out the respective roles of governing bodies and headteachers. Link: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2000/uksi_20002122_en.pdf
GovernorNet - DCSF Governors’ Guide to the Law (Chapter 6 – the Curriculum). Link: http://www.governornet.co.uk/publishList.cfm?topicAreaId=26
Getting to Grips with Grub. (2003). Food-related core competencies for 14-16 year olds. Food Standards Agency. Link: www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/grubgrips.pdf 38 | Food Policy in Schools
Healthy Eating in Schools 2006 – Ofsted. Link http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.eace3f09a603f6d9c3172a8a08c08a0c/?vgnextoi d=0cf31e7a681eb010VgnVCM2000003607640aRCRD
Food for thought: a survey of healthy eating in registered childcare. Ofsted March 2006. Link: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.eace3f09a603f6d9c3172a8a08c08a0c/?vgnextoi d=aee31e7a681eb010VgnVCM2000003607640aRCRD
Starting early: food and nutrition education of young children. (2004). Ofsted/Food Standards Agency/DfES. Report of joint Ofsted/FSA survey of food-related good practice in early year settings, and primary schools, Link: www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/ofstedearly.pdf
Food in Schools – www.foodinschools.org.uk Primary and Secondary schools are encouraged to look at all aspects of food during the school day through an ‘audit’ and to develop whole school food policies. Schools are also encouraged to set up local food partnerships, where secondary food specialists train and support their primary colleagues, helping to work towards the National Healthy Schools programme standard.
A handbook has been developed primarily for secondary school teachers who may have attended a training course run by Food in Schools accredited trainers. However, its principles and framework can be used by any secondary food specialist teachers who wish to run a Food Partnership with their local primary schools. In addition, it may be used by local advisers or healthy schools co-ordinators to set up a number of partnerships in their local area between schools.
Food across the curriculum This resource provides an overview of food education across science, design and technology and geography at Key Stage 1–3. The table sets out how programmes of study relate to teaching food and also includes some relevant schemes of work. It is available at www.foodinschools.org.uk
Establishing a Food Partnership between Primary and Secondary Schools (2003). Department for Education and Skills/ Design and Technology Association/ British Nutrition Foundation/ Focus on Food. Shows how local primary and secondary schools can link together to improve food and nutrition education by a liaison between secondary school food specialist teachers and primary school colleagues to share good practice, ideas and resources.
The booklet provides detailed guidance and case studies for schools to start their own partnerships around the country. Link: www.nutrition.org.uk/home.asp?siteId=43§ionId=357&subSectionId=310&parentSection=300&whi ch=2#961 Who Does What on School Food | 39
Who Does What on School Food
Department for Children, Schools and Families Standards for school food are set by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The DCSF also allocates the budgets for school food to local authorities. More information relating to DCSF initiatives for school food can be found on the teachernet website. http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/healthyliving/
Food Standards Agency (FSA) The FSA is an independent Government department set up in 2000 to protect the public’s health and consumer interests in relation to food. It has produced voluntary Target Nutrient Specifications which set maximum levels for total fat, saturated fat, sodium/salt and sugar for a range of manufactured foods used in school meals, including bread, pizza, poultry products, soups, sausages and burgers.
The FSA’s websites www.food.gov.uk, www.eatwell.gov.uk and www.salt.gov.uk provide a wealth of information covering all aspects of food and drink (including those listed in Steps towards Governors’ Strategic Policy Framework (pages 12-38) both within schools, and also at different life-stages. Governors may find the range of free school resources of particular interest.
The National Governors’ Association (NGA) The NGA is a membership organisation for school governors. It provides information and guidance on a whole range of issues relating to governance. Further information can be found at: www.nga.org.uk
National Healthy Schools Programme The National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) is jointly funded by the DH and DCSF and is supported by a network of 9 regional co-ordinators and 150 local programmes. It aims to support children and young people in developing healthy behaviours, raise pupil achievement and promote social inclusion. Whilst NHSP is a voluntary scheme, it is intended that all schools will be working on the Programme by 2009. More than 80% of schools have already joined the Programme and a lot of work is underway to bring them up to the Healthy School status.
To achieve Healthy Schools status schools are required to meet criteria set in four themes: Personal Social and Health Education, healthy eating, physical activity and emotional health and well being. The set criteria bring together a combination of regulations, government guidance and good practice and is delivered using the ‘whole school approach’.
Schools can access free support and services from their local healthy schools programme, to help them achieve National Healthy Schools Status. www.healthyschools.gov.uk 40 | Food Policy in Schools
The School Food Trust (SFT) The Trust was established by the Department for Education and Skills in September 2005. Its remit is to transform school food and food skills, promote the education and health of children and young people and improve the quality of food in schools. The Trust provides practical guidance and resources for governors, headteachers, school caterers, parents and young people on implementing the school food standards and increasing the take-up of school meals. www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk Guidance and Resources | 41
Guidance and Resources
Healthy Schools – General
Healthy Living Blueprint for Schools This document serves as a Government blueprint for healthier school children. It is useful for governors, headteachers and LAs. It sets out the five key objectives that have been identified to help schools create a healthier environment for children, both short-term and long-term. Link: www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/healthyliving/ Choosing Health Public Health White Paper: food and physical activity action plans. In 2004 the Government published a White Paper to promote public health. This was followed in 2005 by two action plans, both of which are very relevant to schools: Choosing a Better Diet and Choosing Activity. Links http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_410 5356 Food and Drink for Children – All Aspects
Food in Schools This joint Department for Children, Schools and Families/Department of Health initiative involved two strands. • The DCSF strand comprises eight curriculum topics covering teacher training and professional development, as well as guidelines, resources and curriculum materials.
• The DH strand involved eight pilot projects aimed at promoting healthier eating and drinking throughout the school day. As a result of the pilots, a Food in Schools Toolkit was developed to support, guide and inspire schools to engage in healthy eating and drinking initiatives using a whole school approach. It is fully integrated into the Healthy Schools Programme.
Link:Food in Schools Programme (www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/FoodInSchools)
British Nutrition Foundation Link: British Nutrition Foundation (www.nutrition.org.uk). Click on ‘Develop Your Whole School Food Policy’ under ‘Schools and Education’ on the home page. This document can be printed off the website. Click on ‘Education’ on the home page side bar for lots of resources. Click on ‘Links’, then ‘School Education Links’ for nearly 40 other sites including Food Forum Food Forum (www.foodforum.org.uk) and Food Fitness Food Fitness(www.foodfitness.org.uk) . 42 | Food Policy in Schools
Fruit and Vegetables in Schools 5 A Day Links: The main 5 a Day website can be found at 5 A DAY www.5aday.nhs.uk
As well as including details of community initiatives, and fruit and vegetable resources, this website also contains links to the National School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme. This scheme was first introduced on a pilot basis in 2002 and has been extended across England. All four to six year old children in LA-maintained infant, primary and special schools are entitled to a free piece of fruit or vegetable each school day.
The Anaphylaxis Campaign Linkhttp://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/guidance_for_schools/guidance_for_schools.html The Anaphylaxis Campaign provides information and guidance around allergies. It has a dedicated section aimed at schools and pre-schools. It contains a wealth of general information on severe allergies, as well as pages targeted at specific audiences:
Grab 5! Link: Sustain (www.sustainweb.org) . Click on ‘Grab 5’ on the home page for ideas and materials to encourage children to eat more fruit and veg. Packed Lunches
Food in Schools Toolkit. Healthier lunchboxes. (2005). Department of Health/5 a day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. www.foodinschools.org
Eatwell. Menus and guidance from the Food Standards Agency. http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/ Breakfasts in School
Breakfast Clubs ContinYou has information about setting up breakfast clubs. Link: Breakfast Clubs (www.continyou.org.uk)
Food in Schools Toolkit. Healthier Breakfast Clubs. (2005). Department of Health/5 a day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. Link: www.foodinschools.org
The Magic Breakfast A charitable project which provides a breakfast service for primary schools. Link: Magic Breakfast (www.magicbreakfast.co.uk) Guidance and Resources | 43
Drinks in Schools
Food in Schools Toolkit/Water Provision. (2005). Department of Health/5 a day/Healthy Schools/NHS. DH Publications, London. www.foodinschools.org
Water is Cool in School Campaign to raise awareness of the importance of providing drinking water for children in schools. Link: Water is cool in school (www.wateriscoolinschool.org.uk)
Vending Healthy Drinks A guide on how to set up healthier vending machines and make a profit in secondary schools, selling drinks such as semi-skimmed milk, pure fruit juice and still or carbonated water
This publication is the result of a project commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and supported by The Health Education Trust and The Dairy Council. It has been distributed to secondary schools in the UK in a bid to encourage headteachers and caterers to offer healthier drinks in vending machines. Link: Vending healthy drinks (www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/vendingmachinebooklet.pdf) Sustainability
A sustainable school is one which integrates high standards of achievement and behaviour with the goals of healthy living, environmental awareness, community involvement and citizenship. There are eight “doorways” in the framework for sustainable schools, one of which is “food and drink”. Healthy, locally sourced food can offer high nutritional benefits while protecting the environment and supporting local producers and suppliers. For more information visit: www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools 44 | Food Policy in Schools
Annex 1 Surveys on Health and Healthy Eating
A range of national surveys over the past six years has revealed a variety of information about children’s diets and nutritional status. They showed that many children’s diets were not well balanced. The list below provides links to a number of these surveys.
School Meals in Primary Schools in England. Nelson et al. (2006). Food Standards Agency/Department for Education and Skills. DfES Research Report 753. Link: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR753.pdf
The survey was commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills and the Food Standards Agency to assess whether food provided at school lunch times in maintained primary schools in England complied with statutory Nutritional Standards for School Lunches in England (2001) and associated guidance. The research also aimed to assess whether the food consumed by the children met nutritional guidelines (Caroline Walker Trust Guidelines 1992) and to gather other relevant background information.
The study had three main aims: • To assess whether the food provided by the school caterer met the statutory 2001 National Nutritional Standards, set out in the regulations and associated guidance, for all the children throughout the service period. • To assess whether the food provided met the guidelines set out by the Caroline Walker Trust in 1992. • To identify the food consumption and nutrient intakes of primary school children from school meals, and to compare these to the Caroline Walker Trust guidelines.
In addition, the survey provided information about school meal uptake, catering practice, any additional standards set by the LA or school, monitoring and contracting arrangements and other contextual information, such as the eating environment (including healthy eating activities and initiatives in which the school was participating).
Data were collected from 151 primary schools in England, including information on the food selections and consumption of 7058 primary school pupils age 4-12 years.
The results show that the majority of primary schools were not meeting all of the National Nutritional Standards for School Lunches (2001). 23% met all of the compulsory standards at the beginning of service over 5 days. This fell to 17% by the end of service.
Schools most commonly failed the standards by serving starchy foods cooked in oil or fat more than three times a week (failed by 53%) and not serving fruit based desserts at least twice a week (failed by 33%). Overall schools offered too many foods containing fat and foods and drinks containing sugar. Although Annex 1 – Surveys on Health and Healthy Eating | 45
healthier options were on offer, pupils chose more of the less healthy options, for example choosing higher fat main dishes nearly twice as often as lower fat main dishes despite both options being offered equally often.
Mean nutrient intakes for meals as chosen either met or were close to the Caroline Walker Trust Guidelines (1992) for most nutrients. For Meals as eaten (not all of what is chosen is consumed), mean percent energy from saturated fat was higher than recommended and mean intakes of energy, non- starch polysaccharides (fibre), calcium and iron were lower than recommended for both infants and juniors. Mean folate intakes in junior pupils were also low.
Of the 112 schools that did not meet all of the compulsory standards, 60 schools failed to meet one standard, with 27 of these schools failing on only one day, whilst 39 schools failed to meet two standards.
96% of schools met the additional recommendation for drinking water and 27% for drinking milk at the beginning of service, falling to 95% and 21% respectively by the end of service.
School Meals in Secondary Schools in England. Nelson et al. (2004). Food Standards Agency/Department for Education and Skills. DfES Research Report 557, Nottingham. Link: (www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/secondaryschoolmeals.pdf)
The Department for Education and Skills and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissioned this survey to assess compliance with the 2001 nutritional standards and to measure food consumption in secondary school pupils.
Many schools followed healthier cooking practices (e.g. frying in vegetable oil, using semi-skimmed milk), but only a minority followed other healthier practices (e.g. 15% restricted access to table salt, 17% used low fat spreads in sandwiches). 99% of schools fried their chips, rather than preparing oven chips.
In catering contracts, the language was worthy and indicated a strong commitment to the notion of healthy eating – but failed to specify tight contractual structures to help healthier food provision and choice.
In contracts, there was very little reference to controlling the salt content of school meals, access to salt by pupils, or the prevention of obesity.
By the end of the meal service, only 47% of schools were still meeting the nutritional standards (2001) for school meals.
Chips and other potatoes cooked in oil were served in 76% of schools on four or more days, high fat main dishes such as burgers and chicken nuggets in 86%. In 28% of schools, no fruit juice was served.
Only 7% of schools provided set meals over the course of one week that met 8 or more of 12 voluntary nutrient based guidelines . The guidelines for which meals were most likely to fail were for iron, calcium and percent energy from carbohydrate (starchy foods).
48% of pupils chose high fat main dishes (e.g. burgers), 48% chose chips and other potato products cooked in oil, 45% chose soft drinks and 24% chose cakes or muffins. The least popular choices were fruit (2%), fruit juice (3%), and vegetables and salads (6%). 46 | Food Policy in Schools
Only a quarter of head cooks/catering managers or their staff had received training in healthier eating or cooking in the past 12 months, but where staff had had training on healthier eating or cooking, pupils tended to choose lower fat main dishes more often.
The majority of head cooks and catering managers could not name three or more of the current nutritional standards for school meals.
Parents’ Attitudes to School Food – BRMB on behalf of the Schools Food Trust (2006). Link: http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/UploadDocs/Library/Documents/Parentsattitudessurvey.pdf
This survey revealed that: • 16% of adults in Great Britain aged 16+ have at least one child who attended state primary school over the 2005-2006 school year. • Of these, 65% have at least one child who usually took a packed lunch to school. • 25% have at least one child at primary school who had a lunch from school that the respondent paid for. • 9% have one or more children who had lunch provided by the school for free. The reasons given for providing packed lunches were: • 78% said they can provide food that they know their child will like. • 72% said they can provide food that they know their child will eat. • 64% said that their child preferred to eat a packed lunch with friends. • 49% said that they could provide a healthier lunch that that provided by the school. Interestingly, very similar reasons were given by parents of pupils who ate a school lunch. • 71% said their child preferred to eat a school lunch with friends. • 70% said school meals provided food that their child would like. • 67% said school meals provided food that their child would eat.
School lunchbox surveys (2003 and 2004). Food Standards Agency, London. Link: (www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/ • An estimated 5.5 billion lunchboxes are packed for children each year in the UK, and 9 out of 10 surveyed children chose to take a packed lunch to school each day. • From lunchbox foods alone, 9–12 year old children are eating double the recommended lunchtime intake of saturated fat and sugar and up to half their maximum daily target salt intake. • 3 out of 4 lunchboxes (74%) failed to meet the 2001 Government nutritional standards. • Most fat present in the surveyed lunchbox foods came from crisps, fat spreads, cheese products, chocolate bars and biscuits. • Foods contributing to high salt intake included white bread, crisps and processed meats, and the higher levels of added sugars came mainly from fruit squashes, chocolate-covered bars and biscuits and yoghurts. • A fifth of lunchboxes did not contain a starchy food such as sandwiches, pasta or rice, and just under half the lunchboxes surveyed (48%) failed to contain a portion of fruit or vegetable. Only 1 lunchbox (out of 688) contained a salad.
Other surveys which may be of interest are set out below.
Healthy eating in schools. Ofsted (2006) http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/assets/4167.doc
Food for thought: a survey of healthy eating in registered childcare. Ofsted (2006) http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/assets/4190.pdf Annex 1 – Surveys on Health and Healthy Eating | 47
National Diet and Nutrition Survey: young people aged 14-18 years. Gregory J et al (2000). The Stationery Office, London.
Health Survey for England (2004) Department for Health – (http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/PublishedSurvey/HealthSurveyForEngland/HealthSurvey Results/fs/en)
Healthy Survey for England (2002) – Department for Health – this focused on the health of children and young people. http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/PublishedSurvey/HealthSurveyForEngland/HealthSurvey Results/HealthSurveyResultsArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4001558&chk=8cEXbt
Storing up Problems – the medical case for a slimmer nation (2004) Royal College of Physicians, London (www.rcplondon.ac.uk)
Food for thought: Breakfast clubs and their challenges. Street C and Kenway P. (1999). New Policy Institute, London. Link: (www.npi.org.uk/proj%20breakfast.htm)
The Sodexho School Meals and Lifestyle Surveys. (2005). Sodexho, Surrey. Link: www.sodexho.co.uk/ 48 | Food Policy in Schools
Annex 2 What is a Healthy Balanced Diet
A healthy balanced diet should: • include plenty of fruit and vegetables – aim for at least five portions a day of a variety of different types • include meals based on starchy foods, such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes (including high fibre varieties where possible) • include moderate amounts of milk and dairy products – choose low-fat options where you can • include moderate amounts of foods that are good sources of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils. • be low in foods that contain large amounts of fat, sugar and salt
Teenagers have nutrient and energy needs that are higher than those of any other age group. Because of this they have large appetites, which is normal. But it is important that they eat food of high nutritional value in the form of well-balanced meals rather than too many snacks that are rich in fat, sugar or salt. A poor diet combined with low levels of physical activity means that they can end up both overweight, and lacking in essential minerals and vitamins.
By tackling food in schools, as well as in other areas of children's diets, the aim is to tip the balance of the diet back in favour of fruit and vegetables, bread/other cereals and potatoes, and away from foods containing a lot of fat, sugar, and salt. Annex 2 – What is a Healthy Balanced Diet | 49
Food groups What’s included Main nutrients
Bread, rice, potatoes, Other starchy foods mean foods such as Carbohydrate(starch), pasta and other breakfast cereals, oats, noodles, maize, Fibre (NSP*), some calcium starchy foods millet and cornmeal. This group also and iron, 8 vitamins includes yams and plantains. Beans and pulses can be eaten as part of this group.
Fruit and vegetables Fresh, frozen and canned fruit and Vitamin C, carotenes, vegetables and dried fruit. A glass of fruit folates, Fibre (NSP*) and juice also counts. Beans and pulses can some carbohydrate be eaten as part of this group.
Milk and dairy foods Milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. Calcium, protein, Vitamin This group does not include butter, eggs B12 and Vitamins A & D and cream.
Meat, fish, eggs, Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and Iron, protein, B Vitamins beans and other pulses. Meat includes bacon and salami especially B12, zinc and non-dairy sources of and meat products such as sausages, magnesium. protein beefburgers and pâté. These are all relatively high-fat choices. Beans, such as canned baked beans and pulses are in this group and they are a good source of protein for vegetarians. Fish includes frozen and canned fish such as sardines and tuna, fish fingers and fish cakes. Aim to eat at least one portion of oily fish such as sardines and salmon each week.
Foods and drinks Foods containing fat: Foods in this group high in fat and sugar Margarine, butter, other spreading fats and principally provide energy low fat spreads, cooking oils, oil-based in the form of fats and salad dressings, mayonnaise, cream, sugars but may contain chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pastries, cakes, other nutrients in much puddings, ice cream, rich sauces and smaller amounts. gravies.
Foods and drinks containing sugar: Soft drinks, sweets, jam and sugar, as well as foods such as cakes, puddings, biscuits, pastries and ice cream.
* Fibre is more properly known as non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) 50 | Food Policy in Schools
Message Recommendations
Eat Plenty Try to eat wholemeal, wholegrain, brown or high fibre versions where possible. Try to avoid: • having them fried too often (e.g. chips) • adding too much fat (e.g. thickly spread butter, margarine or low fat spread on bread) • adding rich sauces and dressings (e.g. cream or cheese sauce on pasta)
Eat Plenty – at least 5 portions of a Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. variety of fruit and veg a day. Fruit Try to avoid: juice counts as one portion however • adding fat or rich sauces to vegetables (e.g. much you drink in a day. Beans and carrots glazed with butter or parsnips roasted in pulses count as only one portion a lot of fat) however much you eat in one day. • adding sugar or syrupy dressings to fruit (e.g. stewed apple with sugar or chocolate sauce on a banana)
Eat some – eat moderate amounts Lower fat versions means semi-skimmed or skimmed and choose lower fat versions where milk, low fat (0.1% fat) yoghurts or fromage frais, possible. and lower fat cheeses (e.g. Edam, half-fat cheese and Camembert). Check the amount of fat by looking at the nutrient information on the labels. Compare similar products and choose the lowest – for example 8% fat fromage frais may be labelled ‘low fat’, but is not actually the lowest available.
Eat or drink moderate amounts and Lower fat versions means things like meat with the choose low fat versions whenever fat cut off, poultry without the skin and fish without you can. batter. Cook these foods without added fat. Beans and pulses are good alternatives to meat as they are naturally very low in fat.
Eat foods containing fat sparingly. Some foods containing fat will be eaten every day, Eat small amounts and not too often but should be kept to small amounts, for example, – look out for the low fat, salt and margarine and butter, other spreading fats (including sugar alternatives where possible. low fat spreads), cooking oils, oil-based salad dressings and mayonnaise.
Foods containing fat such as cakes, biscuits, pastries and ice cream should be limited and low fat alternatives chosen where available. All foods and drinks containing sugar should be eaten mainly at mealtimes to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Annex 2 – What is a Healthy Balanced Diet | 51
Rough guide to portion sizes
Vegetables – raw, cooked, frozen or canned 3 heaped tablespoonfuls
Salad 1 cereal bowl
Grapefruit/avocado pear 1/2 fruit
Apples, bananas, oranges and other citrus fruit 1 fruit
Plums and other similar size fruit 2 fruit
Grapes, cherries and berries 1 cupful or a handful
Fresh fruit salad, stewed or canned fruit 2-3 tablespoonfuls (including a little juice or syrup)
Dried fruit (raisins, apricots etc.) 1/2-1 tablespoonful
Fruit juice 1 glass (150ml)
Judging what is healthier:
Nutrient High Low
Sugars more than 15g 5g or less
Fat more than 20g 3g or less
Saturated Fat more than 5g 1.5g or less
Salt * more than 1.5g 0.3g or less
Sodium (sometimes products will more than 0.5g 0.1g or less give the amount of sodium rather than salt)
To decide what amount is healthier look at the amount of nutrient per 100g of product. E.g. if the amount of sugar is more than 15g/100g this is high and if it 5g or less it is low. Anything in between these figures is a medium amount.
* Salt is made up of two components — sodium and chloride. It's the sodium in salt that can lead to health problems.
The plate model is subject to Crown copyright protection, information will be available on the procedures for obtaining copyright permission at www.food.gov.uk 52 | Food Policy in Schools
Annex 3 Suggestions for Healthier Packed Lunches
Menus suitable for pupils aged 5–8
Day 1 Nutritional Information Banana sandwich with wholemeal bread Energy 521 kcals, Protein 25.1g, Fat 11.6g Tomato Saturates 4.6g, Carbohydrate 84.9g *NMES Boiled egg Sugars 7.6g, Sodium 578mg, Salt 1.4g Low fat fruit yoghurt Box of raisins Semi-skimmed milk
Day 2 Nutritional Information Salmon and rice salad Energy 419 kcals, Protein 22.5g, Fat 8.1g (with peas, sweetcorn & spring onion) Saturates 1.4g, Carbohydrate 68.2g NMES Melon & satsuma kebabs Sugars 0g, Sodium 293mg, Salt 0.7g Soy milk, banana and strawberry smoothie
Day 3 Nutritional Information 3 oatcakes with Red Leicester cheese Energy 532 kcals, Protein 21.3g, Fat 15.5g Chutney Saturates 7.5g, Carbohydrate 82.2g NMES Reduced salt ham Sugars 8.6g, Sodium 668mg, Salt 1.6g Cherry tomatoes Carrot sticks Cucumber sticks Fruit in jelly Dried apricots Semi-skimmed milk
Day 4 Nutritional Information Tomato, mozzarella & pastrami ciabatta pizza Energy 513 kcals, Protein 33.2g, Fat 13.7g Carrot sticks Saturates 4.8g, Carbohydrate 68.4g NMES Kiwi and strawberry fruit salad Sugars 0.6g, Sodium 668mg, Salt 1.7g Reduced-fat strawberry fromage frais Bottle of water
Day 5 Nutritional Information Chicken and cous cous salad Energy 505 kcals, Protein 25.6g, Fat 5.3g (with spring onion, red pepper & cherry tomatoes) Saturates 1.4g, Carbohydrate 93.9g NMES Pear Sugars 13g, Sodium 148mg, Salt 0.4g Banana milk Annex 3 – Suggestions for Healthier Packed Lunches | 53
Menus suitable for pupils aged 9–12
Day 1 Nutritional Information Salmon and low fat cream cheese bagel Energy 526 kcals, Protein 25.9g, Fat 14.8g Carrot Sticks Saturates 8.0g, Carbohydrate 83.8g *NMES Apple slices Sugars 0.3g, Sodium 671mg, Salt 1.7g Malt loaf Bottle of water
Day 2 Nutritional Information Pastrami & reduced fat cottage cheese wholemeal Energy 543 kcals, Protein 25.2g, Fat 7.6g pitta with lettuce and tomato Saturates 3.6g, Carbohydrate 98.7g *NMES Cucumber sticks Sugars 0g, Sodium 808mg, Salt 2.0g Banana Semi-skimmed milk
Day 3 Nutritional Information Sliced beef roll with cucumber & lettuce Energy 499 kcals, Protein 28.8g, Fat 14.4g Reduced fat coleslaw Saturates 4.0g, Carbohydrate 67.7g *NMES Low fat fruit yogurt Sugars 12.2g, Sodium 663mg, Salt 1.7g Pear Bottle of sparkling water
Day 4 Nutritional Information Chicken cous cous with mushrooms, pepper Energy 612 kcals, Protein 361.1g, Fat 7g and onion Saturates 2.6g, Carbohydrate 112.0g *NMES Pineapple pieces Sugars 13.0g, Sodium 139g, Salt 0.3g Milkshake
Day 5 Nutritional Information Prawn noodles with mixed vegetables Energy 523 kcals, Protein 24.0g, Fat 10.5g Fruit salad Saturates 3.8g, Carbohydrate 88.5g *NMES Fruit fromage frais Sugars 12.7g, Sodium 726mg, Salt 1.8g Scotch pancake Orange juice 54 | Food Policy in Schools Bibliography | 55
Bibliography
Healthy Eating in Schools (2006). Ofsted. Link: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/assets/4167.doc Food in Schools Toolkit Link: http//foodinschools.datacenta.uk.net/ Turning the Tables –Transforming School Food Link: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conResults.cfm?consultationId=1319 The Education (Nutritional Standards for School Lunches) (England) Regulations 2000 Link: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2000/uksi_20001777_en.pdf Nutrional Guidelines for School Meals (1992). Caroline Walker Trust, London National Governors' Association 2nd Floor · SBQ1 29 Smallbrook Queensway Birmingham · B5 4HG
Tel: 0121 6435787 Fax: 0121 6337141 Email: [email protected] www.nga.org.uk